International

Key Trump economic adviser quits after disagreement with president over tariffs

12:40, Wednesday, 07 March, 2018

Top economic adviser Gary Cohn is leaving the White House after breaking with President Donald Trump on trade policy, the latest in a string of high-level departures from the West Wing. The director of the National Economic Council has been the leading internal opponent to Mr Trump’s planned tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium, working to orchestrate an eleventh-hour effort in recent days to get the president to reverse course. But Mr Trump resisted those efforts, and reiterated on Tuesday he will be imposing tariffs in the coming days.Mr Cohn’s departure comes amid a period of unparalleled tumult in Mr Trump’s administration and aides worry that more staffers may soon head for the doors.